Diamondbacks jump on Dodgers early, hold lead to win NLDS Game 2

It wasn’t as aggressive as the six-run first inning in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the Arizona Diamondbacks’ top frame of Game 2 wasn’t too different.

Arizona went ahead 3-0 in Game 2 Monday by getting busy on the basepaths. Corbin Carroll walked, Ketel Marte safely bunted to reach and Tommy Pham singled to load the bases.

Christian Walker then hit a sacrifice fly to push Carroll across, Gabriel Moreno grounded out to score Marte and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. singled to get Pham home.

It set up a lead Arizona would hold on the way to a 4-2 win to go up 2-0 on favored Los Angeles in the best-of-five series that heads to Chase Field for Game 3 on Wednesday.

First inning déjà vu. pic.twitter.com/cctNYiIZFq

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) October 10, 2023

While the Diamondbacks didn’t chase Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller after 0.1 innings like they did ace Clayton Kershaw two days earlier, they still did a good deal of damage on the Game 2 starter.

Miller threw 32 pitches in the first inning, 17 of which were strikes.

He only lasted two outs into the second inning though, after allowing four total hits and two walks with 52 pitches thrown. Miller left two on base for Brusdar Graterol, who earned the third out to get the Dodgers out of the second without any more damage.

Arizona starter Zac Gallen didn’t have the cleanest opening frame, giving up a hit and a walk, but stranded runners on first and second to keep Los Angeles scoreless after the first.

Gallen went 5.1 himself, allowing two earned runs and five hits with four strikeouts.

The Diamondbacks led 4-2 after the sixth thanks to a solo shot by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the top of the inning. The Dodgers got a solo homer from J.D. Martinez in the fourth and tagged another run on Gallen in the sixth, but Arizona’s bullpen got out of a tough spot by leaving the bases loaded in that frame, then cruised.

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